Blog

18 April 2017: Science team meeting

After a series of flights last week, we had the A-LIFE midterm meeting today at Paphos. Every group presented data, and we discussed highlights and most interesting findings. So far we had 11 flights including the two test flights and the two transfer flights. We have collected very exciting data including measurements of „polluted dust“/dust – black carbon mixtures, pure pollution, and as one of the highlights: Arabian/Middle East dust over Cyprus. In the remaining two weeks, we will have another 8-9 local flights.

Group photograph taken after the science meeting on 18 April 2017.

01 April 2017: Ground Crew

After completed installation of all the measurement devices, the ground crew got together for a group photograph.

Group photograph of the ground crew.

28 March 2017: Chasing dust over Germany and France

Today, we had the first A-LIFE test flight. The DLR Falcon research aircraft took off at 11:00 (09 UTC). We flew to France, where we made a low approach at Dijon airport. Later we shuttled in East-West direction at different altitudes along the Alps. We found dust layers below 5 km and filaments of dust layers up to 7-8 km, sampled pollution in the boundary layer in the Munich area and over Dijon, and saw gravity waves in the lidar measurements north of the Alps. It was a great opportunity to test our dust payload.

17 – 25 March 2017: From the ground to the skies

In the past week, we proceeded with preparations for our big joint A-LIFE/CyCARE/PRE-TECT mission. In Oberpfaffenhofen (Germany), preparations of the airborne measurements were ongoing. In Paphos (Cyprus), the ground-based measurement containers including two TROPOS containers, an office container and the UNIVIE garden house were set-up. Results from worldwide observations with the portable Raman lidar systems POLLY including measurements in the Eastern Mediterranean are already available online.

Thursday, 16 March 2017: Getting ready for the A-LIFE mission

Today, we spent all day with testing and calibrating instruments. In addition, we finalized the packing of the airfreight which will leave for Paphos (Cyprus) on 17 March 2017.

Wednesday, 15 March 2017: A big step forward

Before we are ready to fly, our instruments have to pass the so-called ground test report (GTR) and the electromagnetic interference (EMI) test. Today, all instruments passed the GTR and the EMI test. A big milestone towards a successful A-LIFE mission!

Monday, 13 March 2017: Instrument upload completed

Lidar transceiver successfully integrated

Tubing complete

Friday, 10 March 2017: Instrument upload almost done

After an intense week of instrument upload, all measurement racks including the brandnew aerosol measurement system A‐HEAD (Airborne High‐resolution Extinction, Absorption and scattering Detection system) of the University of Vienna are now installed in the German Aerospace Center (DLR) Falcon research aircraft. The last component to be integrated is the lidar transceiver which will follow on Monday.

Impressions of the instrument upload between 6 an 10 March 2017, Oberpfaffenhofen (Germany).

Thursday, 9 March 2017: Bits and pieces

Installation of cables and sampling tubes for aerosol in-situ racks

Wednesday, 8 March 2017: Upload of the wind lidar system

Lidar ground testing completed successfully

Lidar racks installed

Tuesday, 7 March 2017: Upload of aerosol in-situ instruments

CCNC rack installed

SP2-OPC rack installed

Instrument bench/lab checks ongoing for A-HEAD and lidar

Monday, 6 March 2017: Begin of instrument upload

Today, instrument upload for the A-LIFE mission started. We have now one week of time to get everything installed in the DLR Falcon research aircraft.

Sunday, 26 February 2017: Sea survival training

Every crew member flying on the Falcon research aircraft is required to participate in a safety training. Today, we went to Wiener Neustadt for the sea survival training. Besides theoretical lectures, we did exercises with a life raft in a swimming pool, and practiced with signal flares and fire extinguishers.